To Be Renamed
by Last Witch of the Century
Summary: I love my family, my friends, and the life I spend with both. But these two things are being threatened. I do not wish to participate in any war but if it is for the sake of those I love... I know the story, I know what is right, who is right but living it changes everything. I have already experienced death, it is not a suitable punishment for those who stand against us!
1. Chapter 1

I look out the window at the guards below, I wonder if they have to train to stay standing that long. Will I have to do that when I get older? Man, do I hope not.

"Brother, what ever are you doing?" Pup asks.

"Thinkin'." I don't really know why I'm staring at the guards, probably just want to see if they can feel me looking at them, read that somewhere in a book. Yeesh, I'm tired, my thoughts are getting weird. When was the last time I slept again? Ah well, major sleep deprivation probably killed somebody but hopefully not me.

"Well that's a miracle." Val quips.

"Hey!" Rude. I hear Vig snicker from by her sister.

"Vivian?" Mama's voice calls up the stairs to our little gaming room.

"Yes, Mama?" Pup replies sweetly.

"Valentin?" It's subtle, but my name is spoken in a slightly angrier tone.

"Yeah?"

"Valentin!"

"Yeah, Mama?"

There was a sigh and I smile slightly, success.

"Vigdís, Valdís?"

"We're here too." Val replied for her and her sister. Vig patted the center of the table which we were all gathered around. [Hurry up.]

"Pup, it's your turn." Pup focuses back on his own hand.

"Um... stand."

"Call." Val says automatically, 'Not the right turn, but whatever,' I pass her a card, face down.

[Hit me]. I pass another card to Vig.

"I'll take the chance." I think my chances are pretty good. I flip the top card of the deck, perfect. "Blackjack!" I announce and show my hand, a four, a seven, and a king.

The rest of my siblings boo as I take the candy bets everyone had placed.

"Now let's go see what Mother wants." Val says, I nod usher my siblings down to the main hall.

Mother is waiting there, looking perpetually disgusted with the world, as always.

"Now then, we will be heading out for lunch at Duke Dickerson at a quarter past the hour, pack your things." She says in a manner that dares any of us to be even a moment later than that. "Now go," We all go off to our room, or would've but frantic knocking at the door disrupts us.

The doorman opens the door and a flustered man comes in, I recognize him, he's a newsman, or whatever the word is for someone who delivers news in person, is there a word for that? Ah, well.

"Madam, of Madam, it's terrible!"

"What is it?" Mother asks, slightly disgusted with the man's state and slightly worried.

"Your sister, Empress Marianne vi Britannia has been shot and killed!"

Mother crumples to the ground. "Oh, dear god."

I feel my whole world blank out for a second. Right, how could I have forgotten, this world, it's one I would have called fantasy years before.


	2. Priorities

Lunch is obviously canceled and since the duke's house is far away anyways, we just rearranged things so we could leave near immediately. It gives me time to think on some rather... _perturbing_ things. My name is Vivian Fannarson, I am the heir to the Kingdom of North. This kingdom arose a few centuries after the Roman's defeat, it was never considered an actual country before, as its people were largely nomadic, however, after the Britannians began to expand their empire, our ancestors gathered together in order to prevent their lands from being taken. They managed to drive off the invading Britannians but were forced to stand as a kingdom of their own. The Kingdom's royalty was all weird for a time until our current method of choosing who rules was established. So it goes pretty much like this, so there's the current Leader and their first born child. If the ruler has more than one child, when the first born comes of age, there is this giant- I don't know how to describe it- ritualistic battle-like thing? Anyways, it happens between all the siblings and the one left standing is labeled the next ruler. Those from the other tribes are also allowed to send up to three fighters against the prospective ruler. They fight in a gauntlet against them and whoever comes out on top rules in all senses of the word.

But, that's not what I should really be focusing on right now! Basically, the current Emperor of Britannia, Charles the Whatever, liked my aunt, who was the first princess-ish -since there isn't really a "royal line"- and the current Leader's first born child. But Charles still married her. This enraged the Northan people as the gauntlet -called the Leader's War- hadn't been held, since my aunt wasn't of age at that time. Which also brought up the problem that my aunt wasn't of age, also the problem that she was marrying a guy like twice her age but there isn't an actual _law_ against it it's still super weird. Anyways, the Leader of that time, my grandfather, allowed it. This decision got him killed, on the day my mother came of age. Infuriated, my mother killed all who opposed her in the Leader's War, including my uncle, who was believed to be my grandfather's murderer. This made her gain respect across the kingdom and no one complained when she took the throne. However, this also meant that Ásdís , now Empress Marianne vi Britannia was officially the sister of the Leader of North, meaning that Britannia had power in North. But now Marianne is dead, so what will become of Britannian-Northan relations is up in the air.

But that's not even my largest concern, these memories I've received are-

I look up from my hands clenched in my lap, it was dark out, already night. It only takes a glance to see that my siblings are all already asleep, my mother sits across from me. Her head is in her hands and she- she's crying. It was the first time I've ever seen her cry, even when Father leaves, even when strákur died. She's always stood tall. 'No, regardless of any life I once had, regardless of any reality I believed this to be then this is me now. I am Valentin Fannarson and my family is all that matters. Now and forever.'

I see the port come in view. 'Ah, whatever, I can save the existential crisis for the ride home.' I nudge Pup awake.

"Wha? Wha'issit?"

"Come on, get up, we have to board now."

"Oh, okay."


End file.
